Barbara Mae Watson papers

1929-1984

The Barbara M. Watson papers document Watson's career as a businesswoman (1946-1955); lawyer (1962-1964, 1981-1983); government official (1966-1974, 1977-1980); and diplomat (1980-1981). In addition to career information, there are personal papers; general and family correspondence; lecture and conference participation data, including typescripts of speeches delivered by Watson; records of her board memberships and professional associations; honors and awards; and extensive printed material relating to Watson's professional and personal life. There are papers relating to Watson's career (1946-1955) as owner and director of Brandford Models, the first African American modeling agency and charm school in the United States; her position as Coordinator of Student Activities at Hampton Institute (1958-1959); and her series of positions as an attorney with New York City, as well as her private practice of law and international trade consultancy with the Washington based law firms of Italo H. Ablondi and van Kloberg and Associates after her retirement from the U.S. Department of State. The largest series, United States Department of State, is divided into five subseries beginning with the Office of Deputy Under Secretary of State for Administration.

The Barbara Mae Watson papers are arranged in thirteen series:

• Personal papers
  1929-1984

  This series includes biographical information that Watson provided for inclusion in Who's Who and other publications, commencement exercise programs, yearbooks from three schools that she attended (Hunter College High School, Barnard College, and New York Law School), and her application for admission to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. In addition, there is a small amount of family correspondence, as well as correspondence and printed matter about Watson's friend Donald Sangster, Prime Minister of Jamaica. Also included are financial papers prepared for income tax purposes while working for the U.S. State Department (1966-1983) and papers regarding Watson's death in February 1983, which include condolences from U.S. State Department officials, colleagues, and friends, funeral plans, the order of service, and tributes. A news release regarding the first recipient of the Barbara M. Watson Memorial Award in International Relations awarded by Spelman College completes this series.

• General correspondence
  1932-1983

  This series consists of correspondence with friends and acquaintances that were not part of Watson's personal chronological file during the time she worked for the U.S. Department of State. The letters are primarily personal in nature; some of the correspondents are Ambassador Walter Annenberg, poet Countee Cullen, Justice Milagros A. German of the Phillipines, writers Langston Hughes and Claude McKay, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, South African activist and writer Helen Suzman, artists Richmond Barthe and Adja Yunkers, and actress Joan Crawford, as well as members of the U.S. government and the diplomatic corps.

• I'm Your Next Door Neighbor
  1944

  This series primarily consists of scripts for the radio program that Watson produced on station WNYC. Some of the scriptwriters and titles of the dramatizations featured include Langston Hughes's "For This We Fight"; Gordon Heath's "Laughter Close to Tears" and "Common Man"; and Ray Thompson's "Carlotta of Equador". Additionally, there is correspondence with the public and news clippings.

• Brandford Models, Inc./Barbara Watson Models
  1946-1956

  This series consists predominately of advertisements that featured Brandford models in African American publications. There are programs; news clippings about the agency, the models, Watson's European trip made on behalf of the modeling agency, the Brandford Home-Study Charm Course; press releases; and contracts. Also included are diet, exercise, and relaxation plans, and beauty tips for Watson's Charm and Model School.

• Hampton Institute
  1958-1959

  This series pertains to Watson's position as Coordinator of Student Activities and consists of correspondence, an annual report, a speech delivered by the president of the Student Council, and news clippings regarding Watson's work.

• Board of Statutory Consolidation of the City of New York
  1962-1963

  This series consists of notes, receipts for Watson's legal research, and a manual concerning drafting bills in New York State.

• Office of the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York
  1963-1964

  This series consists of legal briefs for a variety of cases, Watson's notes, and memoranda that she prepared regarding opinions about then current cases.

• New York City Commission to the United Nations
  1963-1966

  This series provides information about Watson's position as the Commission's executive director and consists of a news clipping regarding her appointment, correspondence, drafts of a criminal court procedure, appointment calendars, notes, invitations to a variety of receptions and events, and Watson's letter of resignation.

• United States Department of State
  1958-1983

  The first subseries covers Watson's initial three month appointment with the State Department and consists of personnel records, congratulatory letters regarding her appointment, and newspaper clippings. The Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs (later renamed the Bureau of Consular Affairs) subseries documents Watson's duties as Acting Administrator and Administrator, with the rank of Assistant Secretary of State, and consistss of what Watson called her "Personal Chronological File", which contains letters and carbon copies of her replies that are considered official, yet informal and unclassified. The correspondents are friends and acquaintances who held official positions in consulates and embassies throughout the world; government leaders; executives of corporations; and social action, cultural, ethnic, legal, political, educational and other organizations. Also documented is Watson's 1974 ouster, her job related speeches, travel vouchers, and appointment calendars indicating the scope and purposes of her extensive travels in the U.S. and abroad. Watson's long and complex ouster from her position commenced in early 1974, and finally concluded in December of that year. The process is documented beginning with a letter dated April 4, 1974, in which President Nixon accepted her pro forma resignation, two years into his second term. Also included is correspondence from other government officials and a letter from President Ford, accepting another pro forma resignation from Watson after the Nixon resignation. Of particular interest is the correspondence between Watson and her friends and supporters concerning the shock and anger they felt at her ouster. Also included is Watson's December 13, 1974, receipt of the Luther I. Replogle award, which is presented annually to the person who most effectively contributes to sound management in the U.S. Department of State. The subseries Bureau of Consular Affairs provides a framework for Watson's last position with this bureau and includes her application for the appointment, her confirmation, briefings, guest lists for the swearing-in ceremony, and congratulatory letters. As in the preceding subseries, this subseries includes a Personal Chronological File; correspondents include Doris B. Rankin Sells of the Ohio Black Women's Leadership Caucus and Judge Milagros A. German of the Philippines and President Jimmy Carter. Of particular interest are letters Watson received in 1981 concerning the 1978 Jonestown (Guyana) Peoples Temple tragedy. Assigned by President Carter to take charge of the U.S. efforts in the aftermath, Watson played a crucial role in the burial arrangements for the victims and the settlement of this incident. The U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia subseries reflects Watson's activities in this position. Included is documentation of her official nominationand appointment, background information concerning Malaysia, ambassadorial seminars, commerce and foreign policy briefings, ceremonies, daily schedules, invitations, appointment calendars, speeches Watson delivered at official functions, and newspaper clippings covering her tenure. The Special Selection Board subseries consists only of Watson's appointment and a job description.

• Lecturing and conference participation
  1940-1983

  The subseries Speeches consists of addresses Watson delivered primarily to private organizations during the time she worked for the U.S. Department of State. Many speeches were presented to colleges and universities, women's and African American organizations, and foreign travel and business groups. She discussed a wide variety of contemporary problems and issues including immigration, travel, law, narcotics, and the responsibilities of the Bureau of Consular Affairs. Between 1975 and 1976, when Watson was not employed by the State Department she was under contract with a speaking bureau, the American Program Bureau, which aided in securing her paid speaking engagements. Requests for speaking engagements and her itinerary cover this time period. The Conferences subseries consists of speeches, correspondence, printed material, and other supporting documentation regarding conferences in which Watson participated mostly between 1973 and 1976. One of the major conferences represented in this subseries is the International Convention of Women located in Grahamstown, South Africa, in December 1975. The purpose of the conference was to celebrate International Women's Year and to provide a critical appraisal of women in the professions and their role in shaping the future. Watson delivered an address, "Female Liberation and Human Survival". She also made visits to other countries in Africa and Europe on behalf of the convention. Watson was a participant in the "U.S. at 200" Symposium held in Singapore in 1976 for which she delivered an address, "American Life and Culture within the U.S.". Addresses by Watson and others are included in the subseries. Also documented is Watson's participation in the United States-South Africa Leader Exchange Program, held in 1976, which serves as a non-governmental means of cooperation among professional, civic, and business leaders of all races in the two countries.

• Private law practice and consulting
  1979-1983

  The Italo H. Ablondi subseries consists of correspondence, memos, printed material, and one case file gathered from Watson's tenure with the firm. Many of Watson's cases dealt with immigration and establishment of proof of U.S. citizenship. The subseries van Kloberg and Associates contains correspondence, reports, press releases, printed material, and client files for countries and organizations that the firm represented, such as Jamaica, Nigeria, Guyana, Nepal, and the University of the District of Columbia. Watson's appointment calendars complete this sub-series.

• Board memberships and professional associations
  1954-1983

  This series consists principally of correspondence and printed matter pertaining to organizations for which Watson served as a director or in other capacities. The range of her interests is reflected in the diversity of these organizations which include the fields of higher education, child development, international cultural exchange, women's concerns, law, and the arts. In 1977, when Watson was again appointed Administrator of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, she resigned from many of her board memberships in order to avoid any conflict of interest.

• Honors and awards
  1956-1981

  This series consists of correspondence and printed matter documenting recognition of Watson's outstanding achievements in a wide variety of fields by approximately eighteen organizations. Watson received awards from African American, Jewish, legal, women's, and business organizations, as well as the government of the Ivory Coast. Watson also held honorary doctorates from the University of Maryland and Mount Saint Mary College.